Therefore
do We, Qulliam, King, and Tangwystl, Queen, gift unto our worthy subject
Aeschine der Welfengau an Award of Arms. Done on the Feast Day of Saint
Sanctan, in the fifty-second year of the Society, in our Canton of Der
Welfengau.

Wording by
Maister Colyne Stewart, based on “Is scíth mo chrob ón scríbinn” (My Hand is
Weary with Writing), an anonymous poem from around 1200.

Monday, March 27, 2017

For Maister Colyne Stewart, on the occasion of his elevation to the Order of the PelicanBy Magistra Nicolaa de Bracton

He bears arms of shining gules and argent,with the fox counterchanged painted there in richest hues.Recalls his lineage, from grace descendedA fox’s jamb, a pen sustaining for his sigil.And why the fox applies to that laird noble,I intend to tell, though I tarry more than I should.The fox, fair cunning and full of wit,Tenacious in token of truth, by the title that he has,Seven virtues fire the feisty fox:Franchise in proud bearing, Fortitude, slayer of sloth,Humility, purgative of Pride, Temperance, the middle path;Justice, giving each his worth; Honesty in word, And Courage, great strength of heartFor so it accords with this laird and his bright arms,Steadily sure in seven ways, Colyne was for good known, and, as shining silver,void of every villainy, with virtues adornedall, so.And so the fox changed thushe bore on shield and coat,as sigil of faith and trustand gentlest laird of note.

The poetry, which was part of Maister Colyne's elevation ceremony, is based on a passage from Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, and is inspired by the poetry that Colyne has written for so many on the occasion of their elevations.

Thursday, March 9, 2017

For the Lupine Bard
For Master Colyne Stewart upon being named a Vigilant to The Order of the Pelican
By Duchess Kaylah the Cheerful, Feb AS 51 (2017)

Be Merry, Colyne
As midsummer oceans
Serve the pelican.
A noble bird of the sea
With solace and gladness
Much mirth and great aptness
So joyously
So good naturedly
So conscientiously
With humour
His demeanor
Pen flashing
Poetry surpassing
What I can indite
Or suffice to write
Of Colyne Stewart
Scooping up tasks to be
As a pelican
Snaffling fish from the sea.
Patient a tutor,
Magician at the computer,
Autocrat
Not wombat
Acrobat of thought
Well made, well wrought
Compositions always sought
Newsletter Editor,
Literary epicure.
Event expeditor,
Industrious labour
Sempiternal service
Scribe of puppet conical
Historians chronicle
Master Colyne Stewart.

This poem is based on the John Skelton (1460 –1529) poem “Merry Margaret”. I attempted to emulate this poet because writer and literary critic George Puttenham (1529– 1590) asserts John Skelton is a “rude railing rhymer”, which seems about the right level for a stick jock attempting to wield a pen. My best efforts turned out more like “Jabberwocky” than like prose. Sorry, Colyne. I just thought you ought to have a poem along with Marie and myself. (Kellen, you got a cover!)

Thursday, January 19, 2017

From the works of the troubadours and trouvères of the 14th-century to those of
the skalds and scops of the 6th, poetry has been written in Europe for a very
long time. Within this volume Todd H. C. Fischer has gathered information on
different poetic genres, forms and devices used across Europe during the early,
medieval and Renaissance time periods. You may have heard of roundelays,
madrigals, ballads, and—of course—sonnets in high school English class, but
have you heard of hrynhent, leich, letrilla and zéjel? Mr. Fischer (who holds a
double honours BA in English and Creative Writing) has made the study of
medieval poetry a passion. He has scoured hundreds of volumes on medieval
literature to here gather together information ranging from Anglo-Saxon
versification to the obscure fatras of France. Most entries are illustrated by
period examples, quoting works by Dante, Shakespeare, Marie de France, Raimbaut
of Orange, and many others. Indices at the end of the volume allow easy cross referencing
of entries by location and time period. Students of literature, lovers of
poetry, and medieval re-creationists alike will find this volume essential.

Maister Colyne Stewart, OP

Colyne Stewart is an apprentice of Duchess Adrielle Kerrec, OP, OL and a squire to Duke Nigel MacFarlane, KSCA. He is also a member of the Ealdomere College of Heralds, the Bardic College of Ealdormere, the Ealdormere Scribal College, the Head of the Games Guild of Ealdormere, the Curator of the Athenaeum Hectoris, and the Precentor of the Scriptorium.